by LJ Andrews
“What are you talking about?” Nova seethed.
“Well, lass, look around. If a Phoenix be back, mark my words, the real Captain Phoenix has escaped and is seeking his own vengeance upon his mates.”
Nova shook her head. “My father isn’t dead. And when he catches up to you, you’ll regret invading your slimy pirate hands into our family.”
She recoiled, expecting Smythe to come back and strike her, but he stared blankly into her eyes, before clicking his tongue and continuing down the steps. Nova watched him curiously. The captain was ruthless and normally he would have made her pay for disrespecting him, but it seemed as if nothing could affect him.
The captain stopped near Kane and whispered something in his ear. Kane smiled with satisfaction. Nova felt her heart race as Kane’s dark eyes bore into her and followed her as he stalked across the deck.
Kane stopped and pulled out his pistol.
“No,” Nova shouted.
Quickly, Kane lifted Kale from his place mending a hole on deck and shoved his pistol against the side of his head.
“Gents!” Kane shouted, gathering the crew’s attention. “One of our own, the brig master, betrayed us last night and robbed our cap’n blind. He will be the first to die on the Island of Bones, so ordered by the cap’n. If the island don’t finish him, me bullet will.”
The crew cheered while Nova gripped the edge of the rail tightly. Kane struck Kale on the side of his face with the butt of his pistol, creating even louder cheers as he spat a stream of blood from his mouth. She scanned the crowd with venom, spewing her hate for the bloodthirsty men. Only loss of life could excite them in such a way. Kane grabbed Kale by the back of his hair and shoved him toward the hatch to the lower decks. Kale threw one arm back, slamming against Kane’s chin. The pirate unfolded a compact knife, snarling under his breath.
“Stop him,” Nova shouted at Smythe, but the captain only chuckled. Kane sliced a long gash across Kale’s wrist, and without offering any time for him to retaliate, the sinister first mate threw Kale to the deck, shoving him with his heavy boot across the ground toward the hatch. Kale shouted out angrily, trying to fight back, but with every attempt to stand Kane kicked him down.
She fumed as she watched from the quarterdeck. Smythe turned and tipped his hat in her direction. She felt the fury building in her chest; it devoured any rational emotion she had and burst through her veins like molten fire spreading across a river of oil.
The Vengeance trembled, and the sides groaned against a sudden force rippling through its hull. Pirates whispered and murmured queries at the unusual shudder. It grew stronger, and Smythe followed the force to Nova, who watched him with contempt and blind hate. As their eyes met once again, a great wave pitched the ship violently and the sound of heavy wood snapping echoed along the deck.
As soon as it had started, the wave ceased. The crew looked around with frightened expressions, looking for the source of the power surge, but Smythe only glowered at Nova dangerously. She didn’t care.
Kane gathered himself and still shoved Kale below deck despite the disturbance, and once he was out of her sight, Nova felt a rush of strength leave her body. The dark fury weakened her, but she stood straight, not letting on that she was rendered powerless. Smythe turned and left her alone, her knees trembling.
“Would ye look at that, Captain,” a squirrely pirate said loudly. He pointed toward the main mast. The crew surrounded the thick wooden post and gawked.
Nova lifted an eyebrow in surprise. Cutting straight up one side of the mast was a large gash. The wood had been split clean as if a massive ax had sliced the post. Nova held her breath and wondered if she had done the damage. The inner battle began, but quickly she squashed it inside. It was time to listen to the others around her. She needed to choose and it seemed Smythe had forced her hand. The darkness would have to win out, for Kale’s sake.
Kale had been locked in the brig for two days since passing the Isle of Blood. Rumors amongst the crew were that they were headed to the Keys to follow up on the lead of the treasury. Nova thought Smythe a fool for believing Kale after he’d been found out for stealing the ledger. The captain hadn’t left his cabin and had never demanded Nova return the ledger. She thought the captain grew stranger the closer they got to the Keys.
“How are you doing?” Atlas asked just as the sun welcomed the day above the night clouds. “You seem different.”
“I’m done fighting against it, Atlas,” Nova said darkly. “It is better to keep the pirates fearful of me than pretend I can be who I was on Mollem.”
“You’re letting the power in?” he whispered, a little too excited for Nova’s taste. She had battled back and forth since she’d decided, but Kale suffered by assaults daily from the crew. She couldn’t help him as Nova Willock, but as a powerful being with a possible lineage to the temple, she just might.
“It isn’t a good thing,” she insisted.
“Nova, think about all you’ll do,” he stroked her hand gently, sending shivers up her arm. “I will be here to help you, but I want you to know I think you’ve made the right choice. If this is who you’re meant to be, then it’s probably best.”
Nova clenched her teeth, wishing she could see it so plainly.
“Oi, land ahead,” the lookout shouted from above.
Nova leaned over the rail of the ship. Just ahead of the ship was a curved group of at least four large islands. The great peaks reached high into the clouds, concealing the summit from view. Each mountain was green with lush jungle, and numerous waterfalls created a ghostly mist around the coasts as if the islands were only an illusion.
Smythe opened the door to his quarters and watched wide-eyed as the islands came into greater focus. Atlas perked up when Smythe emerged. He gave Nova’s hand a small squeeze before rushing to the helm to await Smythe’s orders.
“We be at the Keys, gents,” Smythe shouted. “The time is now! We’ll be findin’ the guide to the mountain. We be on our way, men, to bein’ the most feared”—the crew cheered—“the most powerful”—more cheers—“the richest pirate crew of all time! Prepare yerselves, men, for there surely be battles ahead.”
“It be quite a sight, huh, missy?” Taylor said stoically, resting against the rail next to her.
“What is all the commotion about? They are the Keys, aren’t they? They are on every map I’ve ever seen.”
Taylor nodded. “Aye, but how many sailors have ye met who have actually visited the Keys?”
Nova scowled as she thought. “Now that you mention it, not…any. People have only spoken of them to help navigate to other Islands.”
Taylor nodded. “Turns out, I heard Master Kane talkin’ to Cap’n about them Keys. Men who go ashore don’t come back. We arrived, missy. We be at the Island of Bones.”
Chapter 16
The Island of Bones
The sky was silent as the Star’s Vengeance cut along the heavy cloud cover over the lush jungles. It was eerie and startling to be encased in such silence after the constant flapping of the heavy canvas sails against the wind or the calls of sky creatures taking refuge against the ship’s bow as it forced them to dive away from its wake.
Nova held her breath, stepping closer to Taylor as the entire ship watched the bright sky shift from happy peach colored clouds to gray and dark blue. The air smelled heavily of rain, and occasionally a splash of bitter cold drops exploded along Nova’s cheek.
Smythe stood at the helm, slowly and expertly lowing the ship into a half-circle cove at the base of an enormous rocky peak.
“How do we know which island the spyglass is on?” Nova asked, scanning the neighboring islands quickly.
Taylor shrugged. “I suppose that be part of the challenge,” he whispered.
As the ship drifted closer to the coast of the cove, a distant rumble shuddered the wood beneath their feet. It sounded like a beast crying ferociously from inside the mountain.
“The island knows we’ve come,” Taylor sa
id, sending chills up Nova’s neck.
“I don’t even want to know what you mean by that,” she admitted.
A heavy pull signaled the anchor had been dropped and wedged deep into floating stones below the island’s coast. No one moved, the crew only watched the island’s peak with wonder and a common apprehension.
Smythe turned and faced the main deck. “We be at the mouth of our fate, men. The island is filled with great mystery, but more treasure than ye can ever imagine. Stay true to yer senses. All men ashore, apart from the skeleton crew. Master Kane, if ye will bring the prisoner up from the brig. He be the first to step foot on the island.”
Nova shuddered as Kane tromped with two other pirates down the hatch. She scanned the deck and caught Atlas’s eye. He watched her with a worried expression he was trying to conceal. Nova rubbed the silver hilt tip of her dagger, feeling the torment inside. She worried about what they might encounter on the island—not for herself, but for those she cared for.
“Well, lass, this will be one grand adventure,” Taylor said, inspecting his cutlass blade.
“Taylor, you aren’t going ashore.” As far as she was concerned that was final.
“Aye I am, missy. I ain’t part of no skeleton crew. Only the truly worthless men be on that. Don’t worry yer pretty head about me. I’ve survived this long. What’s one little island?”
“You stay right near me, Taylor. Promise,” she said fiercely. Taylor smiled beneath his long beard and nodded.
Kane surfaced from below deck and tossed Kale onto his side. Nova winced. He’d been stripped of his pistol and cutlass, and his white shirt was untucked, though the front had splatters of blood. Beneath Kale’s nose, dried rivers of blood were the obvious culprit of his stained shirt. His temple was a sickly, purplish yellow from the butt of Kane’s pistol.
“We be ready, Cap’n,” Kane laughed. The crew hollered and moved toward the boats. Nova rushed toward Kale before Kane could drag him away again. His eyes locked with hers, and she saw the concern and fear for what they were about to do without him speaking.
“I’m so sorry,” she said near his face.
“Get back, witch,” Kane shouted, shoving her with his boot.
Nova grabbed onto his heel and pulled. Kane fell back, losing his footing. Several pirates chuckled, but quickly hushed as the first mate scrambled back onto his feet. He cocked his pistol and pointed it at Nova’s forehead. She stood, glaring at the first mate.
“I’m going to kill you,” he seethed.
“Try it,” she dared. She welcomed the darkness: Kane’s demise played in her thoughts. He was nothing and she knew it. Kane watched her, not moving. With a furrowed brow, he slowly lowered his pistols and tucked it back into his belt. The first mate met her eye again as if confused before turning and leaving Kale at her feet.
“You’re playing with fire,” he said weakly.
“He’s the least of my concerns. Here let me help you up,” she pulled on his arms, but stopped when he cried out.
“Ah, they got my ribs pretty bad,” he said trying to smile.
“I’m going to kill them,” she snarled, helping him lean back.
“Calm yourself, feisty,” he teased, licking his broken lip in concentration.
“We have to get you up, or Smythe will force you up,” she whispered, trying to wrap his arm over her shoulder.
“I’ve got him.” It was Atlas. He bent down and replaced Nova as Kale’s crutch.
“Are you going to accidently drop me over the side of the jolly boat?” Kale said, coughing as he tried to laugh, but his face only turned up in pain.
Atlas scoffed, but a smile played at his lips. “I just might. Come on, let’s get this over with.”
They loaded into the first boat, waiting tensely as it drifted toward the island. The closer they went, the darker the island seemed to get. The lush jungle blocked any sunlight into the tree cover. The coast was rocky but easily accessible.
“What are we supposed to do?” Nova said, feeling the anxiety of disembarking on the Island of Bones fill her chest.
“The island will tell us, missy,” Taylor said from the row behind her.
“Taylor, you keep speaking of this place like it’s alive,” she snipped.
“Aye. You think a spyglass capable of leadin’ us to a forbidden temple will be concealed by yer everyday protection? I suspect that spyglass will be behind every guardian of the darkest nature ye could ever think of.”
Nova swallowed hard and watched as Atlas subtly handed Kale an extra flintlock pistol.
The boat slid onto the rocky beach, and each pirate stepped out carefully. The sky was dark as if the island was left in an endless night. Kane stood in the front, holding a bottle of rum over torches wrapped in old rags. Once the linen was soaked in alcohol he lit the torches and bright fire cast ghostly shadows along the beach. Nova wished they’d douse the fire because it almost seemed wrong to draw attention to themselves. She looked over her shoulder at the lanterns of the Vengeance flickering through the heavy fog.
Smythe waited aboard the ship while he sent the majority of his crew possibly to their deaths.
“Coward,” she said under her breath.
“Men, the cap’n be clear, we follow the rules of the island and we will leave with the spyglass. Do not take any plunder until we have the spyglass, no matter how temptin’ it may seem. We be beyond what we be used to pillagin’. There be monsters inside these trees. Spread out and keep a wary eye, gents.”
“Nova, remember, if we get the spyglass we have to go back and get the ring from Smythe. Without it we have nothing,” Kale said before going into a coughing spell.
Nova bit the inside of her cheek. “How are we supposed to get the ring off his finger! I think we aren’t as prepared as we should’ve been, Kale. I don’t know how we’re going to get out of this.”
“Stop, both of you,” Atlas cut in. “Whatever plan you thought up, it’s over now. Let’s just focus on getting off this island alive.”
Kale took his arm from around Atlas’s neck and limped over to a large gray stone with white lichen streaming the surface.
“You sure you want to go in there like that?” Taylor asked.
“What choice do I have?” Kale answered. He shifted so he could tether the pistol to his belt. His face curled in pain slightly, though he tried to hide it.
Each one in the small band of misfit pirates jumped as someone crashed through the dark foliage. Kane pushed through the spikey green leaves of the palm plants, a look of frustration locked on his face.
“Get in here, witch,” Kane shouted. He reached his filthy hand for her long curls, but Nova grabbed his wrist tightly, glaring from beneath her hat.
“Don’t touch me again.” Her voice was low and serious.
Kane cursed her and shook his hand free of her grip, reaching for his pistol, but Atlas stepped forward.
“Leave it be, Kane. We are coming. You wouldn’t want to kill the only person who can possibly get us through this island.”
Kane snarled at Atlas like a wild dog fighting for bloodied meat, but released the butt of his gun and nodded.
“Get a move on it,” the first mate commanded before turning his gaze again to Nova. “The cap’n may want ye alive for now, woman, but remember we don’t. This be a big island with many mysteries. Accidents happen.”
“All the more reason for you to keep a watchful eye on your own back,” she replied before tromping through a lush line of bushes and into the dense jungle.
Once concealed from the coast, Nova was slammed with a humid wall of wet air. Her hair stuck to her forehead beneath her hat, and already the heavy leather belt and boots were sweating as she chopped the large leaves out of her path.
Atlas was close behind her, with Kane stomping at the side. Taylor stayed near Kale as he slowly made his way into the island. It wasn’t long before a clearing opened, revealing a great stone tunnel.
Nova gasped when she came face to face
with the sinister black hole. The opening seemed to lead straight through the mountainous ridge making up the keys, and there was no telling what might become of them if they stepped beyond the mouth. Cautiously, she entered the clearing where the remainder of the crew huddled waiting like skittish birds ready to be plucked. The men huddled around those who held torches as if the light would somehow deliver them from the foreboding atmosphere on the island.
Her boot crunched on something that twisted her stomach as she moved closer to the cave. The torch light filtered along the jungle floor like dark spirits, but Nova covered her mouth, trying to muffle her cry when she realized the ground was littered in old, decomposing bones. She’d crushed a long bone still shrouded in brown material from clothing.
“I can see why it’s called the Island of Bones,” Atlas said behind her.
“Get up there, witch, and get us through,” Kane said suddenly. He pushed Nova from behind, forcing her feet to crunch and destroy more human remains.
As she stepped closer to the mouth of the tunnel she saw six bottles hanging by fraying rope. “What do you want me to do?” she snipped back at Kane. “Why haven’t you gone inside?”
“We may be pirates, but we aren’t imbeciles,” Kane scoffed. “There be a message by them bottles. No one is setting foot in that cursed darkness before ye reads what the message says, or before ye go in and test it for us.”
Kane laughed wildly, and some of the crew followed suit. Most of the men licked their lips nervously or clutched their weapons for the feeling of security. Taking a deep breath, Nova stepped toward the bottles. Kane was right; there was a wooden board with words burned into the surface face up below the bottles.
Brushing off the sand and dirt, she stepped closer to a sniveling cluster of pirates huddled around a torch. The change happened quickly, but with enough of a delay, for her to realize the words were written in a foreign language before she understood. It was the same language she’d read on the map of the Djinn temple.
